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CERES 1

active
Signals IntelligenceLEOCOSPAR 2021-105ALaunched 11/16/2021
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Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
CERES 1-3
Launch Vehicle
Vega
Launch Date
11/16/2021
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
LEO
Altitude
670.5 km
Inclination
75 deg
Dry Mass
400 kg
Total Mass
446 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Signals Intelligence
Payload Category
SIG
Payload Class
D
Organizations
Operator
French Armament General Directorate (DGA)
Manufacturer
Airbus
Registry
COSPAR ID
2021-105A
UN Registration
ST/SG/SER.E/1047
Track
Mentions
199
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
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Ceres 1 first flew in November 2020 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

GeneralValue 3.5Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

The Ceres 1 design stands about 20 meters tall with a core diameter of 1.4 meters.

Capability
Page2of10
Value 4.0
Jan 19, 2026
Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

Galactic Energy describes the Ceres 1 launcher and operates the Ceres 1 family.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

The latest Ceres 1 placed its payload into low Earth orbit about 850 kilometers above the planet.

GeneralCapabilityValue 4.0Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

The Ceres 1 family has flown 23 times with 21 missions declared successful.

CapabilityValue 3.5Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

Ceres 1 was the second privately developed Chinese orbital-class rocket to reach space successfully, following i Space’s SQX 1 vehicle.

GeneralValue 4.0Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

Ceres 1 uses solid propellant as its primary energy source and lifts off with a mass of roughly 33 metric tons.

CapabilityValue 4.2Jan 19, 2026Galactic Energy conducts sixth offshore Ceres 1 mission from Yellow Sea platform

Galactic Energy has achieved twenty-one successful flights using the smaller Ceres-1 launch vehicle.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Jan 17, 2026New Commercial Rocket Fails During Debut Mission [Ceres-2 Y1]

Ceres-2 is based on experiences and technologies derived from the smaller Ceres-1 launch vehicle.

CapabilityValue 2.6Jan 17, 2026New Commercial Rocket Fails During Debut Mission [Ceres-2 Y1]

Ceres-2’s failure occurred about two days after Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 returned to flight following a failure in November 2025.

PlanValue 2.5Jan 17, 2026New Commercial Rocket Fails During Debut Mission [Ceres-2 Y1]

The Ceres-1 launch is taking place just off-shore from Rizhao.

PlanValue 2.5Jan 15, 2026Coming up in about 1.5 hours is the next Chinese launch to orbit, where residents of Rizhao port on the Yellow Sea coast in Shandong will see - and hear - an early 4 am sunrise when this Galactic Energy Ceres-1S rocket launches just off-shore:

The Ceres-1 launch vehicle series includes both Ceres-1 and Ceres-1S.

CapabilityValue 3.0Jan 15, 2026Commercial Sea Launch Lofts Four Internet of Things Satellites [Ceres-1S Y7]

Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 launch is scheduled for January 15, 2026.

PlanValue 4.0Jan 15, 2026Thousands of km away, also January 15 but ~20:05 UTC, one long-floated-around sea launch of Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 seems to be finally happening, w/ some ship hosting it just off Rizhao harbor in Shandong. Again I've no idea what's on top except it's bound for mid-incl. LEO...

The payload capacity of the Ceres-1 launch vehicle is 420 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 300 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.

CapabilityValue 4.5Jan 15, 2026Commercial Sea Launch Lofts Four Internet of Things Satellites [Ceres-1S Y7]

The Ceres-1 rocket successfully sent 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.

CapabilityPlanGeneralValue 4.0Jan 15, 2026China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.

A sea launch of Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 is set to occur on January 15 at approximately 20:05 UTC.

PlanGeneralValue 4.2Jan 15, 2026Coming up in about 1.5 hours is the next Chinese launch to orbit, where residents of Rizhao port on the Yellow Sea coast in Shandong will see - and hear - an early 4 am sunrise when this Galactic Energy Ceres-1S rocket launches just off-shore:

The Ceres-1 launch will take place off Rizhao harbor in Shandong.

PlanValue 3.0Jan 15, 2026Thousands of km away, also January 15 but ~20:05 UTC, one long-floated-around sea launch of Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 seems to be finally happening, w/ some ship hosting it just off Rizhao harbor in Shandong. Again I've no idea what's on top except it's bound for mid-incl. LEO...

The Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC on January 15, 2026.

PlanValue 3.0Jan 15, 2026China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.

Ceres-1 vehicles have launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and various sea-based launch platforms.

GeneralValue 3.9Jan 15, 2026Commercial Sea Launch Lofts Four Internet of Things Satellites [Ceres-1S Y7]

China's 2nd launch of the day was a Ceres-1 solid rocket.

GeneralPlanValue 3.0Jan 15, 2026China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.